9 Common Items Customers Steal From Restaurants, According To Staff

According to restaurant workers, leftovers aren't the only thing that customers like to take home with them after they dine. Servers, bussers, and restaurant staff as a whole have observed some pretty absurd customer behaviors, and unfortunately, stealing is among the most common. Staff from all kinds of restaurants and bars have observed customers stowing away cutlery and small dishware in their purse or takeout box on countless occasions. Stealing from restaurants has become something of a ritual, hobby, or even a contest for some, who share their collections proudly online.

But it's not just the things on the table that are seemingly up for grabs. Lest we forget the infamous Olive Garden incident where purses wound up full of breadsticks. There are some items in restaurants that you'd never imagine could trigger someone's impulse to steal. Sadly, those customers with sticky fingers ruin the experience for the rest of us because the nicer and more alluring an item, the more likely it is to get taken. Thus, some restaurants are forced to entirely do away with the aesthetic (and costly) flatware and decor and replace it with more basic items to cut costs. Based on shared stories from restaurant staff, these are nine of the most common items customers steal from restaurants.

Part of the allure of ordering a Moscow mule, aside from the tasty combination of ginger beer and lime, is the signature copper mug the drink comes in. There's actually a specific reason that Moscow mules are traditionally served in these copper mugs: The drink tastes best served ice cold, and the copper keeps the liquid chilled for longer, although some bargoers order the drink for the aesthetic value only. But this eye-catching, unique cup is one of the most commonly stolen items from restaurants for that very reason, according to restaurant employees online.

Several have shared their experiences with Moscow mule mugs mysteriously disappearing, and in some cases the problem became too widespread that the restaurant simply stopped using them. One former server explained on Reddit that their restaurant would hold customers' IDs until the mug was returned after too many thefts involving the copper mugs. Another employee shared on Facebook that the restaurant they worked at flat-out stopped using the aesthetic copper mugs, explaining that unfortunately the customers with sticky fingers ruined it for everyone.

Those small bowls that are used to serve your condiments, dressings, dips, and sauces go missing with surprising frequency, likely because they are small enough to be discreetly stowed away in a purse or pocket. Servers often notice customers attempting to hide them in their to-go containers to bring them home, and while they might not cost much individually, replacing hundreds of these missing ramekins over time can build up to an unnecessary expense for some restaurants.

Sometimes diners are so brazen about taking the ramekins that servers wonder if they genuinely think they are offered for free as part of a meal. One restaurant employee explained that they made the switch from ceramic to plastic ramekins due to the high theft. Collecting ramekins from various eateries seems to have become something of a trend online. One woman proudly shared her stolen ramekin collection in a TikTok video that has since been deleted. The collection was made up of nearly 50 bowls of varying shapes and sizes.

It's not just the condiment serving bowls that go missing from restaurants, but the condiments themselves. Entire bottles of ketchup, salt shakers, hot sauce, and other condiments that don't need to be refrigerated and sit on dining room tables often go home with customers. Employees find that even the cheap stuff disappears. One employee has noticed a sharp uptick in the amount of salt shakers going missing, even though they're purchased from the dollar store at their restaurant. The employee goes on to say in a Reddit post that they witnessed a woman take an entire condiment caddy: "I'm talking ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper shakers, napkins, silverware. Just walked off with it. The caddy is also from the dollar store." Another employee on Facebook explained that they only bring salt and pepper shakers to the table upon request since they were disappearing so often.

But other restaurant workers note that if the condiments are served in unique or branded containers, they are even more likely to disappear. One server recounts working in a hotel restaurant where they had maple syrup served in jars with the Brooklyn Bridge and hotel logo printed on them. They explained that they had to restock these constantly, because customers seemed to treat the condiment jar as some sort of souvenir.

One of the most common items taken from both bars and restaurants is shot glasses, as customers often regard these little glass cups as souvenirs or collectables. Since they're small, they're also easy to slip into a pocket, purse, or jacket, and they disappear so regularly that replacing them is essentially a cost of doing business for many food and drink establishments. And if the glass is unique in some way, it's even more likely that diners will take them home with them.

Some bars and restaurants have even started to acknowledge the problem in humorous videos online. One bar shared a video of a bartender pouring a shot into a customer's outstretched, cupped hands. The caption under the Facebook video read: "Please stop stealing our glassware or everyone will be taking hand shots!" Replacing missing shot glasses may seem like a minor expense, but the costs can quickly add up when dozens disappear over time.

Tableware isn't the only thing that occasionally disappears for restaurants. Even the artwork on the walls isn't safe from some diners' sticky fingers. Framed artwork, vintage signs, and unique decorative pieces have also been stolen when customers are bold enough to walk out with them. Restaurant workers claim this happens more often than you'd think, and some have some pretty humorous responses to the thievery. One restaurant creates memorials on the bathroom wall of artwork that once hung there.

But stealing artwork is no joke. One pair of thieves stole two pieces worth $1,200 from their local Arby's restaurant and were slapped with a $500 fine when the manager caught them on camera. There's even a niche market online for people to buy stolen Taco Bell artwork, complete with impassioned collectors who are willing to pay a pretty penny for some of these memorabilia pieces. One restaurant shared that almost every art piece they had hanging in the bathroom had been stolen, but one remorseful thief actually mailed one piece of stolen art back with a written apology, so at least some diners recognize their wrongdoing.

Although it may not be as common to leave cash tips for your server anymore, it remains a habit of some boomers at restaurants, and according to restaurant workers online, it's not uncommon for these tips to get stolen from tables. One diner shared a story on Facebook about handing the tip to their server, to which the server expressed her gratitude, explaining that their tips get stolen all the time if they are simply left on the table. Unlike stolen glassware or condiments, stolen tips directly impact workers' income.

According to online discussions, tip theft can happen in several ways. In some cases, a fellow diner might spot the cash and swipe it. One server online even claimed a host took the tip while wiping down the table. A Redditor explained that the issue is sadly more common than you might think. They wrote, "Yes, people steal tips all of the time. Sometimes it's the busser. Sometimes it's an opportunistic guest walking by. Sometimes it's one of the other guests at the table even. Kids, bad dates, disgruntled spouses, anyone who 'doesn't believe in tipping.'"

Silverware often goes missing from restaurants, and while some missing utensils are accidentally thrown away with leftovers, many are taken by opportunistic diners as souvenirs. Everything from spoons and forks to steak knives and high-quality cutlery tends to vanish. Some customers seem to be building collections. Servers who work in college towns note that this is especially true among college kids and if the silverware is unique. But it's not only college kids who are to blame, as one Redditor shared a photo of their dad's collection of nine different stolen steak knives from various restaurants, a behavior that has surely annoyed several steakhouse employees.

Stealing from restaurants has become almost a trend on social media. A video posted on TikTok in 2021 featured a man showing a unique, dainty, three-pronged fork, stating, "You're coming home with me" along with the caption, "I am home and the fork is secured." Since then, the video audio has been used by hundreds of others showing off the items they have taken from restaurants, bars, and other establishments.

Not even restaurant bathrooms are immune to theft. Restaurant workers claim that entire rolls of TP will disappear from the restrooms, forcing staff to replace supplies far more often than they should. One small business owner commented on a Facebook post about rampant theft from restrooms, explaining that they actually stopped putting out extra rolls due to the high rate of theft.

Another former restaurant employee shared his disbelief about toilet paper theft in a Facebook post stating, "I worked in a high end steakhouse...with very expensive wine displayed around the dining room...we had very little problem with wine theft. On the other hand we had to get a key from the manager to get toilet paper from the supply closet....toilet paper kept disappearing." A few missing rolls may not seem like a major loss, but the costs add up over time, especially for restaurants serving hundreds of guests each day.

For many servers, the most annoying theft that occurs in restaurants is the pens. One server on Reddit wrote, "Does anyone else get excessively annoyed when people steal their pens?" They explained that they started buying their own to have backups based on how often customers brazenly take the pens that they use to sign the check. It's difficult to understand why customers would take something so small and inexpensive. Perhaps they feel the restaurant overcharges customers and they want to take something back.

Unfortunately, the nicer the pen, the more likely they are to be taken. Some servers have implemented a strategy in which they give poorer quality pens out to customers while they keep their own preferred pens for personal use. In fact, some servers even claim that they don't care about any of the disappearing tableware and might even turn a blind eye as long as diners don't touch their pens. One user commented on a TikTok video asking if servers and bussers notice when items go missing: "Tip and don't steal my pen, then I saw nothing."